Redemption
by Maddiebug
Summary: Even though Adrien Agreste never wanted to fight Ladybugs, he had to. He couldn't just ignore his father, could he? It was easier to ignore the pulling feeling in his guy, the pain he got when she got injured. After all, shouldn't he care about his own mother over everyone else? Or was that insanity.


Adrien couldn't do it. He couldn't keep fighting Ladybug. His kwami even claimed that they were supposed to be partners. It would be easy if she understood. She could help bring back his mother and give him a happy family.

It would be the best thing to do-

But it was the selfish thing to do. He knew it was wrong even without the cries if his cheese loving magical let.

He had to get her miraculous, he had to bring his mother back.

He frowned to himself. He hadn't even demanded the miraculous in weeks.

He'd been annoying, a minor nuisance at best, but he couldn't do more than that.

He wanted to listen to his father, he wanted his mother back, but deep down, he knew it was wrong.

He couldn't keep fighting her, but he couldn't just ignore his father.

He knew what the right thing to do was, he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

Every time he threw himself into the fight, and every time he conveniently failed. First, he _accidentally_ cataclysmed the akumatized object.

Then he got stuck in an akuma's web.

The next time he just claimed he lost his ring.

Even if his father knew something was up, he didn't say anything.

After the fifth time, Ladybug did...

"What's up with you Chaton? You aren't trying. Its like you don't want to fight me." She held out her hand, "we can still be partners, just give me a chance "

Even though every part of his body screamed against it, Chat scoffed. He thought about what his father had said. He knew what he had to do... but his heart wanton it. "Give me your miraculous."

He didn't even try to chase her when she swung away.

...

It was weeks before she approached him again. "Look, I know you don't trust me and you have no reason to, but if you want to talk I'm here for you."

He nodded, tears in his eyes, "I can't."

"Yes you can."

"You don't understand, I can't."

This time it was him who ran away.

...

Chat Noir was hiding. Hidden in plain sight, but in a place where no one would find him. It was impossible to get up this high without magic.

He paced back and forth in a panic. This was the first time he had openly disobeyed his father. He didnt know what he would be facing when he got home.

He stopped an akuma. That was unacceptable.

He did it to save people, not that his father would care. Ladybugs magic cleaned everything. And Gabriel Agreste didn't care about people. He only cared about Emile... most days Adrien wasn't sure that his father even cared for him.

He couldn't go home, at least not yet. His father would be pissed.

He fiddled with his baton and found that it was a communicator.

He hesistated before sending a message to Ladybug. "I'm ready to talk. Meet me at the Eiffel Tower, tonight."

The response was instant. "Yes."

...

He stared at all of Paris. She hadn't shown up. Maybe she never would.

He tried not to be too disappointed. His father, his own family never shower up she it really mattered either. He was just about to head home and face his father's wrath when a soft voice stopped him.

"Wait-"

He turned and saw her. And for once he really saw her. He noticed her hair and deep blue eyes. The face that was smiling, even at him. And immediately he knew, he was screwed. "You actually came?" Maybe the disbelief in his voice was too obvious, he didn't want her to think he was weak. He was an Agreste. He couldn't be weak.

"Of course I did. Youre my partner, no matter what."

"But I can't be. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean."

"I'm a danger to you and to everyone else." He shrugged.

"But you saved me!" She interjected.

He cut her off "Yeah, Today. But how many times have I done the opposite?"

She didn't respond. Only frowned. "But-"

"That's why I have decided, despite how much I love it, the feeling of freedom and secrecy, being able to do anything, the freedom to fly away, to escape, I have to give you my miraculous."

She burst out laughing.

He glared. "I mean it. I'm going to give it and you're going to find someone who will help you and save the world."

She shook her head. "I already have him. Whether you believe it or not, we were chosen for a reason. I have a hero right here."

"No you don't!" He closed his eyes. "I don't know who you think I am. I don't know what I could be. Maybe I'd be a great hero in some other life, but not this one."

"Why not?"

"Because my father is Hawkmoth."

She shivered. "Oh."

"Yeah. Oh is right. I'm the worst partner you could possible have been given and I was a mistake. And you have to take my powers so that I don't do anything else ill regret. I need you to find a real hero." He definitely was not almost crying.

"You are a real hero. Your last does not define you. Your actions do. And what you did today, what you're doing now, prove that you're more of a hero than I could ever be."

And he definitely wasn't wiping some years from his eyes, "you really believe that?"

She hugged him, "would I still be here if I didn't?"

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

"I couldn't fight you. I could never bring myself to harm you. I was the worst villian ever."

"But I'm sure you'll be a great hero."

"For no reason in particular, I knew with absolute sureness that had our eyes met, I would have fallen in love instantly and our story might've gone quite differently."

"What do you mean?"

"I never wanted to fight you. But I was easier than admitting that my father was losing it. That he was actually spiraling into insanity." he shrugged and smiled a little, "Can we maybe start over? Pretend none of this ever happened and it's the first time we met. If I could go back in time, I never would've asked for your miraculous, im sure of it."

"You want to pretend that none of it ever happened?" She stared incredulously.

He nodded, "let bygones be bygone."

"I don't think that's how it goes." She chuckled.

He blushed, "whatever, can we start over?"

She stared at him for a moment, before holding out her hand. "Hi I'm Ladybug, your partner in fighting crime."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm Chat Noir, and we have a bad guy to take down."

...

Hawkmoth never even saw it coming.

...

 **AN: hey I'm back with another oneshot. I don't know the last time I posted it's been a few weeks. In sorry about abandoning my stories but I suck at endings. I don't have a good excuse. I've been stressed with school and I just got done with a play, but its a three day break so I have some time this week.**

 **Anyways I'm glad you read this and I hope you liked it. Leave a review**


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